Hermione's Classic Dilemma
by Starborn Angel
Summary: What happens when prudish, bookworm, virgin extraordinaire Hermione Granger falls for not one - but two equally attractive boys? And what if they both actually like her back? Oh Merlin, she was in for it.
1. Snowballs and Awkward Touches

**Hermione's Classic Dilemma**

by:** Starborn Angel**

**Disclaimer:** JKR owns all these lovely characters. I would kill to have Draco (and Harry), though.

**Timeline: **7th year, after the Second Great War.

**A/N: **I decided to make this story because I feel that there isn't enough Harry/Hermione/Draco goodness! I've been searching for something to read about their love triangle, and I failed to find any good ones. So I decided to make my own! Hope you like it, and please _do not_ forget to review. (Or else.)

Special thanks to my beta, independentwriter-137, who's a Ravenclaw. It suits you, my dear. *winks playfully*

Now, on to the chapter!

**Chapter One:** Snowballs and Awkward Touches

Hermione sat down on the Gryffindor table feeling elated. It was almost winter - her favorite time of the year. She put treacle tart on her plate while humming. "Oh hi, Harry," she said nonchalantly, stealing a glance at him.

Harry's hair was as messy as ever, but his eyes were alight with happiness. She smiled at him and went back to eating her dessert. Hmm, she loves them in Quidditch gear. _Maybe it's because of the leather_, she shrugged inwardly.

"Hi, 'Mione," he replied, looking slightly flushed. He hastily got food in his plate and started digging in, looking anywhere but her.

"Harry, is something the matter? You look a bit red," Hermione asked as he ate. Her voice toned down to a whisper. "Are you blushing?" She giggled. "_Harry!_" She followed his gaze - wherever it was.

_Merlin, she'll be the death of me, _Harry thought. "Mmm?" He mumbled, chewing his chicken with a vengeance.

"Are you alright?" Hermione pressed on.

"Mmff," he affirmed.

Hermione chuckled. "If you're certain." She grabbed her Charms book and started reading. _Boys, _she mused, shaking her head.

A booming voice pulled them out of their own thoughts. Oh, of course it was Ron. "Say, Harry, Hermione, the 6th and 7th year prefects are inviting us to have a snowball fight after lunch. Let's go!" He was almost jumping with excitement. "Time to get back at those bloody Slytherins."

"No need to shout, Ronald," Hermione scolded lightly. Harry chuckled.

"Sure mate, let's go," he agreed. "Hermione? What about you?" Harry asked, turning his body to look at her expectantly.

"I think I'll pass - "

"Too scared to go on a snow ball fight, Granger?" A voice drawled.

"Merlin, what now?" Hermione muttered under her breath. She turned to see her co-Head standing right behind them, a smirk plastered across his aristocratic features. She raised a quizzical eyebrow.

"Sod off, Malfoy," Harry spat, putting a protective arm over Hermione's shoulders. Malfoy looked taken aback and Hermione inwardly froze; but she managed to control her senses to come back with a witty retort.

"Of course not, Malfoy. You're on," she replied, standing in her full height - which sadly, was about a head shorter than Malfoy.

He looked down at her amusedly and said, "Quidditch pitch in ten," to the Gryffindors. Malfoy walked out on them elegantly, flanked by Zabini and Parkinson.

_This is gonna be a long day, _she thought as they got up to go change into their winter clothes.

* * *

><p>All geared up and ready, Hermione reluctantly trudged down the pitch, where almost all of the prefects were waiting. She let out a breath that she didn't realize she was holding. <em>You can do this, just focus.<em>

As Heads, she and Malfoy divided themselves into two groups, Gryffindor and Hufflepuff versus Slytherin and Ravenclaw prefects.

"Alright, settle down you ninnies," Malfoy bellowed, using the Sonorus charm. "Here are the rules: you have to get the enemy's flag at the end of their base. Try not to kill anyone. Oh, and if your sorry arse got hit by a snowball, you're out of the game. And… that's it," he nodded at them and winked at her.

Hermione's eyes widened for a fraction of a second and then she rolled her eyes at him. _Cheeky git._

"Ready?" She asked. "In three, two, one - GO!"

All chaos erupted. Gryffindor was mostly on the offense battling Slytherin and most of Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff remained at their respective bases. Hermione ran and ran, until she was not within throwing distance of anybody. _Great_ _Gryffindor courage, _she mused. She hid by a tree and huffed. _This is what you get __for not having enough exercise, 'Mione!_

She saw Ginny hit Goyle with a snowball square in the face. Hermione cringed and bit back her laughter. Hermione looked around and when satisfied that nobody had spotted her, crouched down and started to make snowballs in her hiding place. On the corner of her eye she saw someone approach her and she hastily threw a snowball at the intruder's general direction.

"You've got bad aim, Granger," Malfoy chuckled at her failed attempt to hit him. She sent him a glare that could melt ice and ran to the enemy's base. Malfoy's look of surprise was astounding. He was a second late in realizing that she was distracting him to get to their base. _Ha! __Serves him right, _she told herself triumphantly.

Hermione started to laugh while relishing the exhilarating feeling of running. She looked back to see Malfoy running after her with longer strides. Damn, she'd forgotten how long his legs were compared to hers. She took in a breath and ran faster.

"HAHAHAHAHAH - AHHHHHH!"

In the last second - the flag was about two metres away - he caught her. Well, not really caught, since he literally grabbed her and slung her on his shoulder like a potato sack.

"What in Merlin's name do you think you're doing, Malfoy! PUT ME DOWN YOU STUPID GIT!" Hermione punched his back and tried to kick away but Malfoy had a firm hold on her waist. She blushed. Hermione felt his long slender fingers curved around her leg at an indecent manner. Indecent to her point of view, anyway. Malfoy's hand was barely above her knee.

When Malfoy finally put her down far away from their base, Hermione was left dumbstruck. "Was that really necessary?" She asked him. Instead of answering, he shrugged and grinned at her evilly, and started to walk away. Hermione was about to hurl a snowball at his blond head when she heard wild claps and cheers and heard that the opposing team had won the game.

_Stupid Malfoy._

* * *

><p>After the tiring match, she retreated to the Gryffindor common room. She had missed her dorm for six years, and wanted to spend time with her housemates. Hermione refused to go back to the heads' dorm room unless it was necessary. She didn't want to see Malfoy.<p>

She was sitting near the fireplace holding _Hogwarts, A History_ when Harry showed up at the portrait hole. "Hey, Hermione," Harry said, sitting beside her and offering her a chocolate frog. She accepted it and chewed on it with more force than necessary. The raven haired boy chuckled. "What's the matter?" He said, absent-mindedly touching her cheek.

She gasped quietly. Her eyes met Harry's and she blushed furiously at the contact. _Well, this was a first, _she thought to herself.

_It felt kind of good._

"Er… sorry," he said awkwardly. "Ron's probably looking for me. Gotta go. Goodnight, 'Mione," Harry said, leaving her alone in the fireplace.

* * *

><p>Hermione ran down to the Heads common room in a blur of bushy hair and robes. Why on earth did Harry have to do that? <em>Bloody hell.<em>

_Well, he didn't really do anything wrong, Hermione. You're just too hormonal and now you blame it all on the poor boy,_ a voice said in her head.

Her mind was whirring. Do friends touch friends in the cheek intimately? _They do, don't they? _And for Merlin's sake, it was just on the _cheek!_

But the gesture was just so _endearing_… she mused as she ran. And it wasn't even a kiss…

Wait, who brought a kiss in the picture? _He's your best friend! Stop thinking like this! If he knew that you were overanalyzing things _again _he would laugh right at your face._

"Well bugger me," she said, frowning slightly. Great. Now she was talking to herself as well.

"Granger," Malfoy nodded at her as she entered the Heads common room. He was lounging lazily at the green velvet couch while reading a book. His platinum blond hair was tousled and… and… _perfect. _Hermione gulped. He was only wearing his slacks, crisp white shirt and Slytherin tie.

Malfoy raised an eyebrow right back at her - _oh gods, _she must've been ogling him. She fought the blush that crept up her cheeks. "Like what you see?" He smirked.

"Malfoy," she replied in a clipped tone. "And no, I do not." Hermione could tell that Malfoy was amused at the sight of her. Here she was, her tie askew, her face flushed, and her hair a mass tangle of curls.

"Where's the fire?" He asked, the side of his lips quirking up the tiniest bit.

She scoffed. _Now he was nice to her? Has the world turned upside down?_ His silvery gray eyes were burning a hole through her face. "Mind your own bloody business," she snapped and went into her room.

_Focus, Hermione. You have a Potions essay to write that's due on January._

"Well, he really does have nice eyes," she murmured as she got out her quill and parchment.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **Please tell me what you think. Should I continue? Because if you guys don't like it, I probably won't…

As you could see in the summary, I didn't put the 2nd pairing in - I only put Hermione G., just because I wouldn't want you to know who's she gonna end up with! ;)

Yes, I'm still your resident Slytherin. Anyways, I do hope you like it. REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW! MAKE ME HAPPY! xo


	2. Walls and Greeneyed Monsters

**Hermione's Classic Dilemma**

by:** Starborn Angel**

**Disclaimer:** JKR owns all these flirty characters ;)

**A/N: **Thank you very much, independentwriter-137 for the beta work. From now on, I think I'll just post once a week... School has started ruining me again. Anyway, enjoy the chapter, my loves. I hope you leave me a review. :3

**Chapter Two: **Walls and Green-eyed Monsters

Hermione walked into the library for her usual me-time. But this afternoon, her particular visit to her favorite place in the castle was not even enough to keep her at peace anymore. She heaved a heavy sigh.

Her thoughts were interrupted by suckling noises at the end of the aisle. "What in the bloody hell is that noise?" She muttered as she sat herself down at her usual spot near the restricted section. _Good __Lord, are those…__snogging noises? _She almost gagged. The one thing she hates the most about being the Head Girl is breaking off snogging sessions between students.

_Merlin, if this couple is from my house, I will hex them to the next week_, she thought as she reluctantly approached the said aisle, holding her wand aloft. You'd think she's going to battle a troll, not two randy teenagers.

The sight astounded her.

"GINNY?" She cried out, unable to control her voice.

Here was her best girlfriend snogging the daylights out of Blaise Zabini. The redhead gulped rather nervously. "H-hermione," she stammered, a little breathless because of her current engagement, still entangled with the said Slytherin.

"Granger," Zabini nodded at her direction coolly, not letting go of Ginny.

The head girl pinched the bridge of her nose. She caught kissing prefects, no less. Were teenage hormones _that _rampant? "Will you kindly take your business outside? You sucking face like that distracts me," Hermione said tiredly. She was so sick of seeing couples like this; it makes her feel highly uncomfortable.

The pair nodded and quickly got out of her line of sight. Sighing, she turned to go back to her seat when she heard quiet snickering. Hermione's eyes narrowed at the direction of the sound. She didn't see anybody there so she opened her Transfiguration notes and started rewriting.

_If teenage hormones are that rampant, why don't they affect me?_

_You got to admit though, they _did_ look pretty hot.  
><em>  
><em>Hold that thought, 'Mione. This isn't a good thing to think about. Damn you hormones! Okay, think of rainbows and owls and cats...<em>

The bushy haired bookworm's mind was whirring._ But still, I never felt the urge to back someone against a wall and__ -_

"Oh brain, do shut up," Hermione murmured as she turned the pages of her notes.

_I know Ron does that a lot with Lavander - gag - but don't they all? Malfoy probably snogs random girls just for the hell of it. What about Harry? I wonder if he's already done that..._

She shook her head in annoyance._ Maybe it is true, _she mused._ Maybe you _do_ think too much._

'_It's true, you do_,' an increasingly familiar voice replied inside her mind. She can hear him trying to hold back his chuckle.

Hermione's knee connected with the underside of the desk in shock. She heard someone snigger quietly as she winced in pain and rubbed her knee. "What the f - ?"

'_Hold on to that curse, Granger. Can't have you cussing in the most sacred place in the world, can we_?' The voice said in her head again, chuckling.

Bugger. She was so lost in thought she didn't even notice her Occlumency shield go down.

_'Just stop thinking about me, bookworm. Consider me touched and all, but really? The brightest witch of our age letting her Occlumency shield slide_?' He clicked his tongue. '_Not a good sign._'

Hermione can tell that he isn't really upset about it. _'And by the way, I do not snog random girls just for the hell of it_," he said again, sounding appalled.

She was so surprised that her mind went blank for a few seconds.

Then chaos ensued.

'_Why don't you go to hell and _die_, Malfoy? Get out of my head right this instant! If not, I will -_'

'_No need for threats, I am trying to be nice._'

'_Since when are you nice?_' She asked incredulously. _'You are not _nice!' Hermione said the word with much venom as possible.

She snorted inwardly. _That's totally bull. If Malfoy's 'nice' then I'm not a virgin! _Hermione could almost feel Malfoy narrowing his eyes at her.

'_Not a virgin, eh? You know, if you really want to be held up against a wall, I'd be more than happy to oblig_e…' he suggested huskily.

Hermione's jaw slackened. Was he... hitting on her? She could almost hear him smirking.

'_Ugh! Ugh, ugh, ugh! Just get the hell out!_' She sent back, and with much force as possible, Hermione pushed him out of her mind.

Malfoy snickered and Hermione felt him leave her mind. She let out a breath that she didn't realize that she's holding. As quick as Ron getting food in his mouth, Hermione grabbed her things and left the library.

Moments later, Draco Malfoy emerged from the restricted section, wearing a smug smile. He was looking evidently pleased about flustering the head girl.

* * *

><p>Hermione ran until her legs ached. She seems to find herself running around a lot these days.<p>

She was finally forced to stop when she bumped into Harry, who was walking around the corridor with his nose buried in a book. They both stumbled into the ground.

Since when did Harry read while he was doing rounds? Since when did Harry read and walk at the same time?

Since when did Harry... _read_?

"Bloody hell, Hermione!" He exclaimed. "What's going on, are you alright?" Harry asked her as he helped her up from her rather awkward position on the floor. He picked up his book and swiftly hid it from Hermione's sight.

Hermione got a glimpse of the aforementioned book and the title was 'Twelve Fail-safe Ways on How to Charm Witches'. _Since when did Harry read advice books? _She rubbed her aching lower back as Harry fumbled with his robes. "Sorry, Harry," she said sheepishly.

"Why were you running?" He pressed again, looking at her expectantly. Harry's hair was endearingly unkempt and his face was creased with worry. Hermione wanted to reach up and flatten his rather unruly hair.

She smiled at him, and he grinned back. "Are you going to answer me or will you just keep on smiling at me like you've gone barmy?" He chided. "Not that I mind, of course."

Hermione snapped out of her reverie. "Oh. Right." She cleared her throat and toned down her voice to a whisper. "Can you keep a secret?" She said, looking around them for eavesdroppers.

"Er... Yeah. Of course," Harry assured her. "What is it?"

"It's Malfoy," she replied, feeling a little breathless from running.

"Malfoy? What did he do, 'Mione?" Harry's voice quivered in rage and his hands balled into fists.

"He..." Hermione trailed off and sighed. "."

Harry's eyes widened and his cheeks blazed with anger. "He - he WHAT?" He sputtered.

Hermione banged her forehead against the nearby wall as a response. This was not going well. She grinded her teeth in pain as Harry processed what she blatantly blurted out. Moments later she felt her forehead going slightly numb since she was still leaning on the wall. Hermione pushed herself off her stony corner and faced Harry again.

Ten seconds later...

"DID YOU JUST CALL MALFOY SEXY?" Harry shouted and Hermione jumped at the chance to slap her palm over the bespectacled boy's open mouth.

"Say it a bit louder, Harry, I think only half the castle heard you!" She threw him her murderous glare, her cheeks flaming with embarrassment.

'Not going well' is quite an understatement. The head girl let out a sigh of frustration. _Why, why, why did I have to bump into Harry? Why?  
><em>  
>"I'll get him, Hermione, don't you worry..." The raven-haired boy trailed off, still slightly trembling with rage.<p>

"What part of 'can you keep a secret' did you not get?" Hermione said crisply. _Boys. You can never trust them with these things._ "And it's not like there's really _something_ that's going to happen," she added thoughtfully.

"So you _do _want something to happen?" Harry asked her, his bright green eyes narrowed into mere slits.

Hermione refused to answer that so it made Harry instantly suspicious. "Bloody hell, Hermione. It's _Malfoy. _Git from hell, prat extraordinaire," He rolled his eyes at his best friend and muttered something that suspiciously sounded like 'stupid bloody ferret'.

"Ugh, this is dreadful," Hermione managed to say weakly. "Just… forget about it Harry. I'm sure it won't happen again," she dismissed, and started to walk towards the other direction.

Harry scoffed when Hermione was out of hearing range. _Hermione being seduced by Malfoy? Really? _He inwardly cringed and shook his head. _And…__sexy? _He gagged visibly.

"I'll show you sexy," Harry muttered and went straight to the boys' dormitory.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **I was wondering on who you'd want Hermione to end up with? Let me know in a review! And also, I want to know what you'd like to happen between Harry/Hermione and Hermione/Draco. Or maybe Harry/Draco? *winks* Hope you liked this chapter. *smiles* 'Til next week! (Or when I'm not busy.) Reviewwww! xoxo


	3. Comeback

**Hermione's Classic Dilemma**

by: **Starborn Angel**

**Disclaimer:** JKR owns all these lovely characters. I would kill to have Draco (and Harry), though.

**Chapter Three: Comeback**

"Merlin," Ginny Weasley breathed out as she tore her gaze from her boyfriend's face onto her ex-boyfriend's.

Harry was almost glowing.

Not that he was literally glowing, mind you. _He's... different_, the youngest Weasley thought. Harry passed by, grinning at her no less - and a forbidden blush crept up her cheeks.

"Good Lord," she muttered. _He even smells nice.  
><em>  
>Blaise Zabini raised an eyebrow at the redhead. <em>Why in the world was she looking at Pothead? <em>Huffing impatiently, he tugged at his girlfriend's arm to drag her out of the corridor all the while scowling at the bespectacled boy.

Ginny felt the pressure on her arm and she immediately snapped her mouth shut. _Merlin, forgive me. I've been ogling him. Good God, why did he have to wear that navy blue v-neck shirt? And his hair is like... sex. _Ginny gulped. _Perhaps a new look for the upcoming ball?_

Ginny groaned internally as she remembered that she had to pick up an outfit for the said ball. Ugh, _I should ask Hermione to go with me_, she mumbled under her breath as Blaise towed her away from Harry.

Harry looked at the couple with amused eyes. _Surely Hermione would_ _notice me now, right?_ He gave himself an internal pat on the back and pushed on to his destination._  
><em>  
>He busied himself over the past week not showing up on Hermione's regular time of eating at the Great Hall. He didn't even sit near her in class. He was basically hiding from her as he worked on his personal experiment.<p>

Harry asked the most unlikely people he would want help from (Lavander and Parvati) to style his hair. The girls gave him a haircut at Moaning Myrtle's bathroom (the said ghost kept on complaining because of the hair strands everywhere and stopped when she learned that they were Harry's) and the ladies taught him how to manage his ruffled hair properly. So now he was sporting a rather alluring 'just-got-out of bed' look as they called it to impress Hermione.

Yes, he already confessed to himself that he more than liked his best friend. He remembered telling himself, _Honestly, Harry. You can battle the Dark Lord to the death and you can't even tell your best friend that you like her. Such bloody Gryffindor courage._

It was not easy, mind you, but Harry told himself that being an 18 year old boy had these perks called hormones and he ought to make use of them - or something like that.

Eventually he came to the conclusion that he would not in any way let Malfoy seduce his best friend. He must act now or it'll be too late.

In exchange, though, he had to spill the beans that he had a… how did the girls call it? A _thing_ for his best friend. And also he made sure that the Gossip Twins (as his housemates fondly called them) didn't spread the news by bribing them with dates with their crushes McLaggen and Ron.

"If you tell anyone, you know what'll happen," is what he told them and the gossip twins nodded almost fearfully. Harry lifted some weight off the threat by giving them both a hug in thanks. He must remember to send them chocolate.

If he wasn't a proud Gryffindor, he would have called himself cunning right there and then.

_You can do this, _Harry cheered himself on as he walked to the Great Hall to finally show himself fully to Hermione. He shoved his hands into the pocket of his jeans a little deeper to keep them from shaking as he forced himself to trudge on.

He immediately spotted his target and Harry flashed Hermione one of his most brilliant smiles - until he saw who was with her.

Harry's smile turned into a full blown frown.

_Why in Merlin's name is Malfoy talking to her? Why now? AND HE'S SITTING IN OUR TABLE…!_

He scowled at them as he moved closer. They were still animatedly bickering with each other. _Relax, Harry. It's nothing. They always fight. That's all they'll ever be. Enemies._

But she did say he was sexy.

Harry squared his shoulders and took a deep breath for the row that's about to come.

Hermione was fighting the urge to throw Malfoy over the side of the room and into the ground where he belonged. "Why so grouchy, Granger? It's a wonderful day," he told her, just before the desire to hurl him out of her sight ensued.

"What, no mudblood this year, Malfoy? Are you getting soft?" She snapped, unable to control her rising temper. Here she was, enjoying her pancakes when he slithers onto her side and disturbs her musings.

"You think too much, Bookworm. And Malfoys are anything but soft," he said, waggling his eyebrows at her suggestively.

Hermione's jaw dropped to her lap. "Why on earth are you harassing me? First the mind reading, and then you're sitting your _ferrety _arse on the _Gryffindor _table? Have you gone mad? Or are you just plainly daft to think that I don't know what you're up to?"

Malfoy reached in front of her to get an apple just to toss it in his hand leisurely while whistling. Hermione has never seen a more bizarre thing in her life. Remembering that her mouth was still open, she snapped her lips shut and sighed. Seeing as she wasn't getting any response from him anytime soon, she continued nibbling on her toast. A few moments later, he said, "What if I tell you that I'm up to no good?" Malfoy whispered, his face now dangerously close to hers. "What are you going to do about it?" He smirked.

Hermione's breathing stopped and she dropped her half-eaten bread on her plate. In this view, she could see his steely gray orbs perfectly. His eyes were framed with long golden lashes and there were no blemishes anywhere in his face. Malfoy was practically flawless.

She had to make sure that were gob was not opened and snapped herself out of it. Realizing her weakness, Hermione pulled out of the trance and blushed relentlessly; scooted away from Malfoy, muttering, "Bloody hell."

Draco had to bite his cheek to prevent chuckling at his witch. Hmm, his witch. He liked the sound of that.

He inwardly scoffed. Merlin, he was getting soft. Not that he would admit that to Hermione, or anyone for that matter.

Draco looked around and saw the raven haired boy approaching them and rolled his eyes. He proceeded to stand up and leave Hermione slightly flushed. "Later, Granger," he grinned at her.

Harry's eyebrows rose to his hairline. _Was Hermione... Blushing?_

He almost gagged. Harry scowled at Malfoy as the head boy was getting ready to leave the Gryffindor table. After the glare contest, Malfoy set off and walked away.

Harry approached the still blushing Hermione. "Hey, 'Mione. Long time no see. What does Malfoy want?" He asked, unable to control his annoyance.

Hermione snorted. "He's just being a git again," she replied as she picked up her food and continued eating. Her breathing was almost back to normal but then she stole a glance at her best friend.

The bookworm blushed even a deeper red. Hermione felt her heart beat impossibly faster. "Harry... You look different," she muttered.

"How so?" He said nonchalantly, happily humming and putting waffles in his plate.

"S'nothing," his companion replied, keeping her eyes down and clearing her throat awkwardly. Harry resisted the urge to do an undignified celebratory happy dance. He hid a small smile as he glanced at Hermione, who was openly staring at him.

"Hermione, is anything the matter?" He inquired, unsuccessfully hiding his smug smile.

"N-nothing," she replied, huffing at her behavior. _Honestly, 'Mione. Can you not control your teenage hormones? _She said, scolding herself.

Harry went back to eating his food and didn't notice when Hermione started daintily sniffing at his way.

_Merlin, he smells like cinnamon._

"Honestly," she mumbled under her breath as she attempted to scoot away from Harry. _This is bad, this is bad, _she repeated in her head as he swivelled around to face her.

"Do you want to go outside? You look a tad bit flushed," he commented, looking at her oddly. _I certainly did not expect this reaction, _Harry thought to himself.

His usually eloquent best friend just started a 'sure' and they continued to eat in silence; Harry occasionally glancing at the girl beside him and Hermione lost in her own racing thoughts and heart. _You should not be feeling this way, 'Mione. Harry's a friend. You're his friend - and that's all you'll ever be, _she mused with slight sadness. _Boys like him wouldn't like girls like you._

She was pulled away from her thoughts when Harry wrapped a coat around her shoulders and took her hand to go outside. _Even his coat smells like cinnamon._

_Oh, for Godric's sake._

It was snowing, and because winter was her favorite time of the year, Hermione barely stifled a squeal as a snowflake fell on her open palm. She grinned at her best friend before stopping herself, only to find him smiling back at her. They continued walking until they found a secluded part near the pitch. Everyone was inside because it was still early, so they had the place to themselves.

Harry resisted the urge to Hermione as she dug her hands into the ground and threw the newly fallen snow up like confetti. Harry shook her head as he looked at her - her tousled hair curly as ever, her eyes widening with joy - she doesn't realize how beautiful she is.

"Come on, Harry!" She said, not noticing him staring at her. Harry shook his head and Hermione immediately took his hand and led him to the spot where a snow hill formed, and as they ran, they felt their feet sink into the snow. The snow was deeper here, and amidst the cold, Harry's insides warmed as Hermione touched his hand.

Letting go of his hand, Hermione scooped up a snowball and threw it at Harry's chest. An idea struck Harry and he grinned evilly. Hermione saw the look on his face and started to run away, but he gathered her in his arms and she screamed in shock. "Let me go, Harry!" She said in between chuckles. Her laughter was stopped short when Harry threw her to a large pile of snow, and as she landed with a thud. Hermione was now covered with snow from head to toe, and Harry's laugh at her bewildered expression echoed through the open space. Hermione started snickering as well, as Harry's laughter was contagious.

And as if it wasn't freezing, Harry lied down beside her and put his arms under his head. Hermione, by reflex reaction, put her head on his chest as they watched the snowflakes fall down from the sky like white angels. Harry silently cast a warming charm over them, just in case it gets colder.

"Hmm, this is nice," Hermione said, yawning slightly.

"Yes, it is," Harry replied, feeling slightly sleepy himself.

"Harry?" She said sleepily.

"Yes, Hermione?"

"Thanks," she said, finally gathering the courage and kissed him on the cheek, while blushing furiously.

"You're welcome. Happy Christmas, Hermione," he replied quietly, not believing what happened.

"Happy Christmas."

From afar, watching silently, blonde eyebrows were furrowed, hands clenched, and gray eyes were narrowed like slits.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Sorry for the rather late update, but I do hope you liked it! Read and review. :)**


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